Shake Shack Forced to Reveal How Fattening Its Food Is

September 20, 2012

Shake Shack recently opened its 15th location in New Haven, meaning that the chain is large enough to be required to post calorie counts on the menus. The Wall Street journal reports that a meal consisting of a double-patty ShackBurger, regular fries, and a chocolate shake is just shy of 2,000 calories. But Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti isn’t deterred by the calorie requirements. He told the Journal that he’s “happy and proud” to post the data.

“When you take your kids to Shake Shack, you’re not feeling guilty,” Garutti said. “You shouldn’t do it every day. It should be part of a balanced lifestyle.”

A study in 2011 led by NYU School of Medicine’s Brian Elbel found that calorie counts barely influenced by the presence of calorie labeling. The greatest drivers for teens were easy access, convenience of restaurant locations, and then taste.